“The on-road Tamiya model is the RC equivalent of training wheels for your bike. With the Traxxas Nitro4-Tec, it’s like you take off the training wheels and strap on rocket engines. It’s insane. If it’s raining, you don’t need a drift car because this one won’t go in a straight line!”

Traxxas Slash 2WD Short-Course Race Truck

Verdict: This two-wheel-drive electric truck is the perfect introduction to RC vehicles. A seven-cell battery gives it a top speed of about 30 mph, and it will run for more than 15 minutes before recharging is needed. The Slash goes pretty well on-road but is most entertaining when bounding through dirt and over jumps. Despite the best efforts of our testers, it survived multiple rolls and encounters with solid curbs virtually unscathed. ($220; 888-872-9927; www.traxxas.com)

Score: 9/10

Tested: SCALE STANDING 1/4-MILE (132 FEET) > 5.0 sec

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WHAT THE KIDS SAY: Emma Gillies, 11

“Virtually indestructible, the Traxxas truck is extremely tough but is surprisingly quick and agile and has very good acceleration and braking. There’s plenty of power to enable it to climb dirt hills and ride rough terrain. Adding to all of this, the Traxxas truck is waterproof and is fun to drive in the wet.”

Tamiya XB NISMO GT-R R35 TT-01E

Verdict: Tamiya’s range of electric RC vehicles probably has the greatest appeal to car enthusiasts, simply because the models are faithful replicas of some very cool machines. The Japanese racing GT-R came ready to run, under the XB (Expert Built) line; there are also kits, offering a wider array of cars. The GT-R looks fantastic and is easy to drive, if slow. The chassis is beautifully made, but the elegant bodywork doesn’t withstand repeated hits against solid objects. ($290; 800-826-4922; www.tamiyausa.com)

HPI-Racing Nitro RS4 3 Drift Toyota Soarer

Verdict: Once you get past the setup issues—breaking in the engine, using a clunky glow-plug heater, and having to pull-start the engine like a lawn mower— the HPI drifter is wicked cool. The car has been specially tuned with different shocks and weight distribution to go sideways at the touch of the controller, which is immensely entertaining. However, we feel the basic chassis is a bit delicate, as one strong hit sheared a wheel hub. ($350; 888-349-4474; www.hpiracing.com)

HPI-Racing Nitro RS4 3 Drift Toyota Soarer

Verdict: HPI also offers an electric drift-car option,
which is a better route for parents who don’t
want to spend all their time supervising young children with a nitro car. The Trueno model came partially assembled, and it didn’t take long to paint the body and trim it to fit on the chassis. Decals are included. It doesn’t have the manic speed of the nitro drift car, but it’s still good fun and quite a bit cheaper. ($230; 888-349-4474; www.hpiracing.com)